Friendship Renewed
by TolkienGeek1
Summary: Gail Renin is attacked in an alley, but a man with a metal arm saves her. She then convinces Bucky to go see Steve, and to bring her with him. It might be a bit dark at the beginning but it will turn into fluffy protective Bucky SOON. Set after TWS. :)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! This is my first Captain America story/one shot but not my first piece of fanfiction. If you're a Hobbit fan, check out my page! **

**I decided to write this because I searched bad searched for a story where Bucky was protective and brotherly to a girl and could not find one, so if there are any people like me, this is for you. I really love Bucky. He is my absolute favourite character. If you love Bucky too, send me a PM (or review) and we can talk about Bucky and any other thing. This will for sure be probably around a three chapter story, but it could grow into something more! I have a lot of ideas for my OC so... Please tell me if you like! :)**

Gail Renin walked quickly down the dark street. There was next to no one outside at this time of night, and the ones that were, you didn't want to meet.

Gail was an only child, living in the home of a drunk father. A father who cared nothing about her or where she roamed. In fact, the streets were probably safer than the house. Right now she was killing time before it would be safe to go back. Her father had gotten angry and had hit her. Hard.

Though Gail had walked the areas around her home many times, they still made her nervous sometimes. With all the druggies and gangs, it wasn't safe for a normal fourteen year old. The life Gail lived had toughened her up and she even got a few lessons from a homeless martial artist. She was smart too.

Gail looked warily over her shoulder, and when she turned back, a man was standing in front of her.

"Hello." He said with a messed up grin.

"Hi." Gail answered.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing out so late?"

"None of your business."

"No need to be so rude. I'm justmaking sure you're all right."

"Sure. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get home."

Gail tried to walk around the man, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Not so fast." He said. "How about we have a little fun?"

"I'm not sure you're idea of fun isvery appealing."

Gail tried to knee the man in the gut but her caught her leg. The man whistled, and two more men came out of an alley.

One of them grabbed herarms, holding them tightly behind her back.

"Help!" Gail screamed.

The third guy punched her inthe stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

"We'll have none of that." The first guy said.

They dragged her into the alley and threw her on the ground.

The first guy knelt with one legon either side of her.

Gail tried to push him away and one of the thugs grabbed her arms again, holding them over her head.

The guy over her brought out a knife and cut the front of her shirt top to bottom, tearing it off of her.

"Well, well, well. You're beautiful." He whispered.

Gail screamed andthe man held the knife to her throat.

"You do that again and I'll cut out your tongue." He threatened.

The man then ran his handsdown her stomach, stopping to feel for the zipper of her jeans. Before he could do anything more, he was thrown off of her. The two other men were taken care of.

Another guy knelt beside Gail.

"Please, leave me alone." She begged.

"I-Its okay. I'm not gonna hurtyou. Can you stand up?"

Gail nodded. The new man helped her up and then took off his jacket, covering her up. Gail felt his hand on her arm, but it felt different. Hard. She struggled to look at it in the dark. Her eyes widened when she realized it was metal. The whole arm was metal.

"You're Bucky Barnes." She whispered.

**"**Yeah. What's left of him anyway."

"You remember?"

"Kinda. A lot of things are still fuzzy. But I know my name is Bucky."

"Have you gone to see Steve?"

"Not yet."

"Oh. Thank you, for saving me."

"Are you sure you're okay? You're shaking."

"I'll be fine." Gail assured him.

"Do you have a place I can walk you to?"

"I-I do. But, um... I don't think it's a good idea for me to stay there right now."

Bucky seemed to understand. "Is it your parents?"

"My dad..."

**"**I'll try to find a place for you to spend the night. Lets get away from this place."

Bucky led Gail away with a gentle hand on the small of her back.

"Why don't you go see Steve?"

Bucky sighed. "I guess I'm scared."

"Why? He's your friend."

"I know."

"I could go with you."

"You'd do that?"

"Oh, for sure. I'll take any chance to meet Captain America."

Bucky winced and Gail realized how that had sounded.

"But I've always been more interested in you than Steve. Bucky Barnes, the popular kid in school who went against the crowd and befriended a little, sickly kid. It's gonna sound creepy but I've read everything I can about you."

"Thats alright. Talking to Steve was the best decision of my life. He's the greatest friend I've ever had."

"So go see him!"

"Why do you want me to see Steve so badly?"

"Because you need to. Your friendship is something to treasure, and I don't want you to not go after it. You're lucky, Bucky."

Bucky sighed. "Okay." He was silent for a bit as they walked. Then he said, "You know, I remember more things about Steve than myself."

"I'm not surprisedat all." Gail smiled.

**Again, I hope the beginning wasn't too dark for you all. But tell me what you think of the story! Even if you hate it I'd like to know. Please please please review! :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm glad my two reviewers liked it! So here's the next chapter!**

Before Bucky and Gail had set out to leave the ghetto area, Gail asked if they could stop quickly by her house so she could grab something. She had zipped up Bucky's jacket to wear instead of her shirt.

It really was a quick stop. Bucky had expected her to go inside and get some clothes, but she only dug around a junk pile for awhile. When she was done, she came back with a rather large, round thing. Bucky had no idea what it was. It looked like a shield, but bigger and with more electrical type things.

"What's that?" He asked.

"An experiment of sorts. It should fly, but I've built as much as I can here. My dream has been to show it to Stark, and I'm thinking maybe Steve can get me hooked up."

"Stark? Like, Howard Stark? He's still alive?"

"No, his son. Tony. Howard and his wife died in a car crash. It seemed suspicious to a lot of people, but the police couldn't find any evidence that it wasn't an accident."

Bucky went silent and started walking away. Gail had to jog to keep up with his long strides.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She asked.

"I think... I killed them."

"Oh."

"I killed a lot of people. But Howard... I knew him. We weren't good friends, but friends none the less."

"It's not your fault. A heartless, mindless, suit for Pierce killed them. You are so much more. Saving my life was proof of that**."**

**"**But it was me."

Gail fell silent, knowing she wouldn't be able to change his mind. The two didn't talk much as they traveled for hours through the night. Gail could feel sleep tugging at her eyelids. At one point there was a small bump in the sidewalk, and Gail tripped. Bucky's arm shot out and caught her.

"Thanks." Gail said.

"You're tired?"

"Yeah, I've never walked for this long."

"Sorry. I keep forgetting that I'm..."

"Better?"

"I wouldn't say better. But I don't get tired as fast. We can keep walking, or we can stop and rest for a few hours."

"Uh, yeah. I think that'd be good."

Bucky stepped into a less sketchy alley where they wouldn't be in the way of any passerby.

Gail curled up and got as comfortable as she could on the hard ground. She was so tired that sleep would probably come easily.

Bucky sat beside her. He wasn't tired at all. There was something about this girl that made himbring her along. She seemed to understand him, though he didn't know how. She had so easily accepted him and talked to him like a human being. She was the first to do so in years. He also didn't want to make her go back to her father. He wasn't sure of the whole story, but he was pretty certain her dad was abusive. Bucky was all of a sudden aware of the fact that he didn't know her name. They had only talked briefly, and names just didn't seem important.

Hours past before Gail woke up. The sun was just beginning to come up. She sat up and stretched, rubbing her shoulder.

"Oh, I've been sleeping for along time. Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I'm not in a rush." Bucky answered. "I just realized I don't know your name."

Gail smiled. "It's Gail. Gail Renin."

"It's nice to meet you. We should get going."

Bucky offered his hand to help Gail up. Soon they were walking again.

"So do you know where we're going?" Gail asked.

"Yeah. Steve isn't that hard to find."

"Oh."

"Could I ask you a rather personal question?"

"Sure**."**

"Your dad... What's your relationship with him?"

Gail sighed. "Not good. He drinks, he smokes, he does drugs. My mom left him when I was born and left me there. He tolerates me living with him. Barely. If he's mad he takes it out on me."

"He hurts you?"

"It's not too bad. I have a few scars though."

"Can I see?" Bucky asked quietly.

Gail lifted up the side of the jacket, revealing a long, jagged scar.

"You don't have to go back. Steve will find somewhere for you to stay. A good place." Bucky promised.

"I don't plan on going back. My dad hated the fact that I was his daughter. It's better this way..."

Gail seemed sad and Bucky almost regretted asking his question. It was good that he knew, but he hadn't wanted to hurt her.

"Okay, you got to ask your question. Now I get to ask mine." Gail said.

"That's fair." Bucky answered. "Shoot**."**

**"**Are you going to cut your hair?"

Bucky laughed, the first time since he was captured.

"I don't know yet. Probably."

Gail grinned, pleased with herself for making the solemn man laugh. She figured it would be good for him, and she wanted to lighten the mood.

"Thank you, Gail. It felt good to laugh."

"You're welcome." Gail smiled. "You know, it isn't too bad this long. It'd probably be better tied in a ponytail. The front bits would fall out, but that would look fine. The girls would be falling all over you, man."

"I don't think they'll want a guy with a metal arm who's killed hundreds of people."

"Oh, stop. You're great. You'll find someone."

"Why do you think I'm so good?"

"Because you care about people."

Gail once again silenced Bucky. He wasn't sure he liked her having the power to do that. She seemed to be able to see right into his soul and pick the words that would help him the most**. **

Ooooooooooo

They had arrived at Steve's apartment building. Gail stayed quiet as Bucky obviously struggled with going in.

"What am I going to say to him?" Bucky asked quietly.

"You'll know, once you see him. Are you sure he's home?"

"Yeah. I heard him tell that Sam guy he was going home for a few days."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, they've been searching for me. I eavesdropped."

Gail started giggling. "That's awesome."

Bucky looked at her weird. He was still getting used to being a person and not a machine.

He finally got up the courage to go into the building. He and Gail climbed the many flights of staircases and stopped outside his door.

Gail cleared her throat. "Bucky, I think I'll just stand back. I don't want to be in the way."

"Okay."

Gail took a few steps back. As soon as she moved the door opened. Steve had a shocked look on his face**. **

"Bucky?"

Bucky didn't answer, but Steve grabbed him into an embrace. Gail saw him freeze, and then relax and put his arms around his best friend.

Steve finally released him and took a step back.

"You're here."

"Yeah... I wanted to give some of the stupid back."

Steve laughed. "Jerk."

"Punk." Bucky answered.

"Come in, I'll get you something to eat." Steve then noticed Gail. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, uh..."

"Steve, this is Gail Renin. I met her the other day. She's the reason I'm here."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She told me to come."

"And you listened?"

"I know, it's hard to believe**."**

**"**Gail, this guy never listens to anybody." Steve said. "What did you do, drug him?"

Gail smiled. "Nah."

"C'mon in."

Steve's apartment was nice. It had many modern things, but Gail noticed a lot of books and articles on the present day. Steve was obviously still working on getting caught up.

The three of them sat down on some couches, Bucky and Gail on one, Steve across from them.

"We have a lot to talk about, Buck."

Bucky nodded. "First, Gail has no where to stay. You need to find somewhere. She also needs to see Stark."

"Woah, wait a second." Gail said. "I'm not a priority here. You guys talk. I might walk around so you can be alone."

"No. I promised I would help you."

"Why do you want to see Stark?" Steve asked.

"I built this machine awhile ago. It's supposed to fly but I don't have the right parts. If done correctly, a person should be able to stand on this and maneuver it through the air."

"Really? Interesting. I'll call Tony now**."**

Steve pulled out his phone and pressed a few buttons. "Hey, Stark, this is Steve. I have someone here who wants to meet with you."

Bucky leaned over to Gail. "What is that thing he's talking into?"

"That's a cellphone. You talk into it and it transmits what you say to someone else's cellphone, and you can talk back and forth."

"Oh..."

Steve was still talking to Tony. "Just see her, Stark. You can't be that busy... She's built a flying machine... I thought that would catch your interest... Okay... Yeah sure... Oh, and Bucky came back... Yeah. Alright. Bye."

Steve hung up and rolled his eyes.

"What?" Bucky asked**. **

**"**He's cleared his entire day for you, Gail, and he's coming here himself to pick you up."

"Really?" Gail asked.

"Yeah. I told him Bucky was here and he insisted on meeting him."

"Oh joy." Bucky muttered. "If he's anything like his father, I'm in trouble."

"He'll want to analyze your arm, but I won't let him do it today."

"Okay."

**"**Sorry, but I didn't think that he'd clear his whole day for me." Gail said, still shocked. Tony Stark was her role model, someone she had thought she would never meet until she met Bucky.

"He's very interested in your device." Steve said.

"Yeah, but isn't he really busy?"

"I think he'll take any chance to spend a day doing what he loves. You might meet Bruce Banner too. He practically lives at Avengers Tower now**. **Pepper too.

Gail smiled, but she was only half listening. Tony Stark. She was going to meet Tony Stark. Her invention had peaked Tony Starks interest. She was going to spend a day with her idol. And if Bruce Banner was there? It would be a dream come true**. **

**Hey! I hoped you liked this chapter! But here's the trick. I have to get a review (preferably a longish one, but it doesn't have to be long) before I post another chapter. I do this with my other story too. So please review and tell me if you like this, and what you'd like to see in the upcoming chapters. And do you guys like Gail? Do you like the building relationship her and Bucky have? Do you think she's annoying? Tell me everything! Please review! :)**

**Okay, you can skip this part if you'd like, but I must rant. I absolutely do not like the people who say stuff about Bucky removing his metal arm and like, playing pranks with it. It isn't removable people! Haven't you seem the second CA movie? It's freaking welded to his skin! Okay. I'm done. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! I'm sorry this is so late. I've been struggling with writing this. I'll try to update more quickly. **

**Thank you to all my reviewers. It makes me so happy when I get your reviews! **

**To Guest: I have already made the decision not to give Gail powers. Not all heroes are super. :) Sorry!**

**I can't tell you if she's going to live at Avengers Tower or not. ;) You'll have to keep reading! :)**

**I'm not quite sure what you mean by frenemie... If you mean a friend turned enemy, then no, she's going to stay a friend. :) **

**Thank you so much for reviewing! I love getting requests too. **

Gail watched nervously as the black sports car pulled up in front of Steve's apartment, blasting rock music. Tony emerged, wearing a black suit. Within minutes he burst through the door.

"Cap, nice to see you, as always." Tony turned to Bucky. "You must be Bucky. My dad told me about you. Your arm is magnificent. I saw the footage. What you - or it - can do is just amazing."

"Stark, you can't look at it today." Steve said.

"No, no. I am here for this gal. I'm Tony Stark."

Gail smiled shyly as Tony shook her hand. "Gail Renin." She answered. "It's an honor to meet you, sir**."**

**"**No need for formalities. Call me Tony. Or Stark. Basically everyone does except J.A.R.V.I.S."

"Okay."

"So I assume this is the device Steve told me about?"

Gail held the device in front of her and Tony picked it up, spinning it around to examine it.

"Yeah. I've built the frame and some of the other things, but I don't have the parts to complete it."

"Well, we'll fix that. Lets get going. Bye, cap." With that Tony walked out of the apartment, carrying Gails device.

"Oh. Um, bye." Gail stuttered.

"Bye." Bucky and Steve said at the same time.

"Poor girl." Steve muttered when Gail had left.

"You have no idea." Bucky answered, thinking of what Gail ran away from.

Oooooooo

"It's a bit hot for a coat, isn't it?" Tony asked as they drive towards Avengers Tower.

"Oh, when Bucky found me I was being attacked by some men and they ruined my shirt. It was unwearable, so Bucky gave me his jacket."

"I see. So, what are all your hopes and dreams for this device, and what exactly is it?"

"It's supposed to be a... flying saucer? Or... a glider. It's supposed to be something a person can stand on and fly around."

"I get what you're going on. We may have to change the design for more stability while in the air."

"I figured."

"What do you think of rockets? Everything is better with rockets, in my opinion."

"Whatever you think is best."

**"**No, see, this is your project. I'm just here to help. The fact that you've built this much already by yourself means you have talent. You remind me of myself."

"Really?"

"Yep."

Soon they arrived at Avengers Tower. The building was massive. Gail was in awe as she stared up at it.

"You coming in or what?" She heard Tony ask.

"Yeah, sorry."

"It's big. You'll love the top ten floors."

"What?"

"Top ten floors. All the toys and gadgets you can imagine."

"Cool."

Tony grinned. "Yeah."

Not a lot of people thought science was "cool", and Tony was excited to find someone somewhat like him.

"Pepper and Bruce are here. You'll love them." Tony said as Gail walked through the door. "Maybe I can convince Banner to uh, get angry."

"I wouldn't want him to waste a pair of pants. Seriously, how many pairs does he go through?"

Tony smirked. He was going to like this kid.

They took the private elevator up to the top floor. Gail was expecting a lab or something, but this floor was a lounge.

A woman approached them.

"Hi, there. You must be Gail. I'm Pepper." She said.

Gail shook Peppers hand and smiled.

"Pep, can you get some drinks and bring them to the work room?" Tony asked.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. What do you want**?"**

"Two beers for me and Bruce and... What do you want, Gail? We have everything. Literally. We have everything."

"Oh, just water, thanks."

"Come on, have some imagination! Pepper, bring a sparkling raspberry lemonade. And water, incase you don't like it. But trust me, you will."

"Okay." Gail said.

The pair took the elevator down to the next floor. Gail's mouth dropped open at the sight of all the gadgets and devices. She could only begin to imagine what they did and how to use them.

On one side of the room, Bruce Banner was staring into a microscope.

"Hey big guy, I'm back."

Bruce looked up from his work with a confused look on his face.

"Who's this?" He asked, gesturing to Gail.

"Oh." Gail moved across the room and extended her hand. "I'm Gail Renin. I thought Stark would've told you I was coming."

"He doesn't tell me much."

"Gail, lets get to work on your machine. What do you say we make this model fly first and then we can see any problems we need to fix, and if we need to change the design." Tony interrupted.

"Okay." Gail answered.

The two worked endlessly for hours, Bruce stepping in every once in awhile to help out. Finally they managed to get it to fly.

Tony was incredibly impressed with what Gail knew. With a little bit of work, she could be a genius, like him. Maybe she could be his apprentice.

"Why don't you get on it and we'll see if anything needs fixing." Tony said to Gail.

Gail hesitantly climbed on the small "launching pad" they had set up and strapped one of her feet in a metal holster, the other foot free and able to press the many buttons.

Slowly and carefully, Gail lowered her heel onto the "gas" button.

The glider rose off the platform. It was in the air, but it was very wobbly**. **

**"**Okay... That's pretty good..." Tony said. "Try moving around."

By leaning left or right, Gail should have be able to control where the device went to.

Gail tilted to the left. The glider dipped unexpectedly, shooting out to the side. Gail crashed into a table.

"Uh oh. Are you okay?" Tony asked, helping Gail to sit up.

"Yeah... It needs some fixing."

"List the problems we had."

"What?"

"I want you to learn something, so try to figure out everything that went wrong."

"Well, it was really unstable. The circle design is definitely a problem. When I tried to maneuver it, it lost control. More thrusters might help. Especially on the sides."

Tony nodded. "That's good. I had an idea though. What if we made hand thrusters, like on my suit? It would be great for stabilizing. And if you put the glider up in front of you with your hands back, you could use it as a shield."

"That's a great idea, actually."

"What design should we try next? Circle is out of the question."

"What about like a bat? Without the head, just the wings."

"That could work. And how about offensive measures. Do you want this thing to be a weapon?"

"Maybe just some rockets and bombs. And I think the foot strap should be easier to take off."

"Good idea." Tony said. "But it's getting late now. I'll take you back to Steve's house and he can take you home. I'll have you back again soon."

"Okay. Would you mind if I left the glider here?" Gail asked, deciding not to tell Stark about not having a home.

"Sure thing."

Gail said goodbye to Bruce and then she and Tony left the tower**. **

**I hope you liked this chapter! Next chapter will have Bucky and Steve. :) Please review! Tell me what you think! Next review gets a chapter. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! A new chapter! And it was up fast. Insane! So I hope you're all enjoying my story. :) Sorry if this next chapter is a little bit short. :/**

Gail smiled tiredly as Steve opened his apartment door and let her in. She went into the living room and sat beside Bucky on a couch. Steve stood in the doorway.

"Do you two want anything? Tea, coffee, hot chocolate?" He asked**. **

"I'm fine." Bucky said.

"Hot chocolate would be nice, if you're already boiling water." Gail answered.

Steve left to his kitchen.

"How was your day?" Bucky asked.

Gail took a moment before answering. That was one of the only human like questions Bucky had ever asked her.

"It was good." Gail said. "Tiring, and painful, but good."

"Painful?"

"Yeah, the first model of my glider didn't work so well and I fell onto a table."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... My hip is a little sore, but I'll be fine." Gail said, shifting her weight off of said sore hip.

"Steve! Bring some ice too!"

"Oh, Bucky! I don't need ice!"

"Will it make you more comfortable?"

"Probably..."

"Then you need it."

Gail smirked at Bucky, relaxing a bit more beside him. "And how was your day?"

"Good. Steve and I caught up. There's still a lot we need to talk about but... Today was good."

Steve came back with Gail's hot chocolate and a coffee for himself. He handed her an ice pack.

"Gail, I haven't gotten a place for you to stay. Yet." Steve said. "For now, you can stay here.**"**

"Thank you."

"I don't want to pry... But would your dad come looking for you?"

Bucky stiffened, wincing at Steve's question.

"He - uh - doesn't really care where I am or where I go." Gail said quietly. "He's probably happy I'm gone."

Bucky reached his hand out and put it on Gail's shoulder.

Gail felt the warmth of his touch right away. Bucky had a good heart, a caring one. She had known it since before she met him. And no matter what he said or anyone else said, she knew the truth.

"You showed me more care in the last few seconds than my dad has my entire life."

Now it was Steve's turn to wince. He had always had a soft spot for children. The fact that this girl had been beaten and ignored by her father broke his heart. And Bucky... Bucky seemed so attached to her. Steve was certain that while she stayed with him, she would be good for his friend.

The three talked in the living room for a few hours. The topics ranged from everything - from the government to Dairy Queen.

Finally it was time to sleep.

"I have two small guest rooms that you two can stay in." Steve offered.

"Thank you." Gail said.

Bucky answered with a nod.

"Oh. You guys don't have pajamas do you? I'll lend you some."

By the time they all got ready for bed, Gail's eyelids were drooping. She put on Steve'spajamas, which were very baggy. The bed was the softest thing she had ever sat on, considering she had only slept on the floor.

Gail turned out the light, but even though she was tired, she couldn't get to sleep.

Something nagged at her mind. All her life she had accepted that her father hated her. It was normal for her. The fact that he didn't care for her didn't hurt really, because she didn't know what it was like to be cared for, and she had numbed herself to the lack of love. Bucky had shown her care. And now her heart ached for what she had lost. A mother and father who loved her. And it did hurt to leave her dad. Because even if he didn't love her, she loved him. It had been the right choice for her to leave, but it was the painful choice.

Gail got angry at herself as tears spilled over her cheeks. She had to cope, and crying was not going to help. As she tried to hold it in, she let out a hiccup. In an instant she silenced herself, hoping nobody had heard her.

In a matter of seconds a soft knock was at her door.

Gail quickly wiped her face to get rid of any stray tears and cleared her throat. "Come in." She said softly, sitting up.

Bucky carefully opened the door.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard you crying."

"Bucky, I wasn't-"

"It's about your parents?"

Gail sighed and dropped her head, the tears coming back. She felt Bucky sit beside her, and she buried her face in her hands, embarrassed.

Bucky hesitantly put his left arm around Gail, not sure how she would react. Gail leaned into Bucky's chest, letting him comfort her.

Bucky didn't say a word, wanting to let Gail speak when she needed to.

"You would think that living with my father would be better than living alone, but it's not. Can you imagine how it felt living with someone who should love you but refuses to?" Gail paused for awhile before continuing. "You are the best man I have ever met, Bucky Barnes. And I hope you remember that when I'm gone."

"Hopefully you won't go too far."

"That all depends on Steve.

Bucky, thank you for all you have done for me. You've been so kind. I'd like to be your friend someday."

"Someday? Why not now?"

"Oh I don't know. I just thought it might take awhile."

"It hasn't been long since I met you, but I think we'll get along very well." Bucky noticed Gail's tired face. "We should get to sleep now."

"Yeah..." Gail moved from the warmth of Bucky's embrace and lay down, pulling the soft blankets up.

Bucky got up and stopped in the doorway. "Goodnight, Gail."

"Goodnight."

Gail smiled as he left. She didn't have friends, and Bucky just might be her first.

Ooooooooooooooo

Gail woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon. She climbed out of bed and got dressed, then wandered into the kitchen. Steve was putting bacon, eggs, and toast onto plates on the table.

"Good morning, Gail." He said. "Just take a seat anywhere."

Gail took a chair across from Bucky, giving Steve the head of the table. Half way through breakfast, Steve's phone rang.

"Hello? Stark, yeah, what's going on? Shes here... One second." Steve took the phone away from his face and handed it to Gail. "Stark wants to talk to you."

"Me**?"**

"Yep."

"Oh. Okay." Gail took the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Gail. I'd like to speak to your parents about something concerning you and your glider. How can I reach them?"

"I don't actually have parents..."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Why'd you want to talk to them?"

"I wanted to apprentice you."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. But why are you staying with Steve?"

"He's finding a place for me to stay."

"He's already found it. You can stay here at Avengers Tower with Pepper and I. It's settled. Unless you don't want to..."

"I would love to! But shouldn't you ask Pepper first?"

"Uhhh. One minute... Yeah she says its fine."

"This is amazing! Thank you so much! Oh, I can't believe this! Are you sure it's okay? I wouldn't be a problem?"

"I offered didn't I?"

"Well, yeah, but**-"**

"You can move in tomorrow."

"Okay."

"I have to leave before Pepper gets mad. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye."

Gail hung up and handed Steve the phone, a dazed look on her face.

"What was that all about?" Steve asked.

"I'm going to live at Avengers Tower."

"What?"

"He wants me to live there."

"Looks like you'll be staying after all." Bucky said.

Gail smiled at him. "I guess so."

"When are you moving in?" Steve asked.

"Stark said tomorrow. Is it okay if I stay here another night?"

"Sure, it's no trouble."

Gail was so excited she could barely finish her breakfast. A new chapter was coming in her life, and she was pretty sure it was going to be an exciting one**.**

**I hope you all liked it! I tried to keep Gail in character while showing a different side of her. Hopefully I did it well. The next chapter should be exciting! We'll have more angsty, protective Bucky soon! Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello readers! Here is the next chapter. Hopefully it will be exciting! **

Hello Gail!" Pepper said happily. "I'm so glad you're going to be staying with Tony and I. Where are your bags?"

"I don't have any."

"No clothes?"

"No..."

"Then we'll need to go on a shopping trip right away. I'll show you your room, and then we can go."

"Okay."

Gail's room was massive. It had white walls and wood flooring. There was a desk, bed, chairs and a table, a TV... Everything.

"Wow." She said.

"Is it alright?" Pepper asked.

"It's amazing."

"Good. Lets go shopping."

Pepper assured Gail that cost of clothing was not a problem, so try on everything she like**d. As **Gail tried on different clothes, Pepper would give her opinion.

Gail loved it. She imagined this was what shopping with her mom would have felt like.

Hours later, after they had gone out for lunch, the girls went home. How good it was to call a place home. Especially when it was the place of Gail's dreams.

Peppers phone rang as they entered Avengers Tower. She talked for a second before the conversation ended.

"Gail, after you get dressed Tony wants to see you in the workroom. He says he has a **little bit of** time before his next meeting and that you can work on your glider."

"Okay!"

Gail chose to wear a dark blue, long sleeved V-neck, and black leather pants with black boots.

Gail went into the elevator and pressed the workroom floor button. She walked in and the doors shut behind her.

"You wanted me?" She said as she moved around a table to stand near Tony.

"Yeah, we can build the structure of the glider now. I have about an hour."

"Sure. What type of metal is this?" Gail asked, lifting a big sheet of metal she didn't recognize.

"It's the same type that my suit is made of. It's strong but light."

**"**Cool."

All of a sudden the lights went out.

"JARVIS? What's going on?" Tony asked with annoyance.

"I'm sorry, sir. Something has been broken."

"How can JARVIS still be speaking if the powers out?" Gail asked.

"I programmed his system so it couldn't be shut off.

Exactly what is broken?"

"Wires."

"JARVIS, tell me more, I'm not in the mood for your attitude."

Someone grabbed Gail from behind, dragging her away from Tony.

"Stark!" She yelled, fighting her captor.

"Hey! Not okay!" Tony shouted, starting to go after her.

Someone else hit him over the head, knocking him out cold. They smashed out a window, and jumped into a waiting helicopter.

Ooooooooo

"Do you think Gail is going to be happy living with Stark?" Bucky asked as he and Steve played checkers.

"Yeah, sure. I mean, her dream was to meet him, and now she gets to live with him."

"Meeting him and living with him are two very different things."

"She seems like the type of person that can handle Tonys attitude and such."

"Yeah..."

Steve's phone rang.

"Oh for goodness sakes. I have never gotten this many calls since before I met Gail."

He answered the call.

"Steve, what took you so long." Tony's voice came through.

Steve frowned. Tony never called him Steve. Something was wrong.

"It was only a few seconds, Stark."

"A few seconds is time enough to do anything."

"What's wrong?"

"Gail's been kidnapped."

"What!?"

"We were in the workroom and the power went out. Someone grabbed her. I tried to get her but they knocked me out."

"How long?"

"About a half hour."

"I'll meet you in a second. Is Banner there?"

"No, he went to visit his cousin today."

"Shoot. Okay, it'll be fine. Suit up quick**."**

"Bye."

Steve hung up and leapt to his feet.

"Steve, what is it?" Bucky asked, following his friend around.

"Gail's been kidnapped. Stark and I are going after her."

"I'm coming too."

Steve stopped his rush to look at Bucky with worry. "Buck, I don't think that'd be a good idea... We can handle it."

Bucky's glared at him. "I'm coming."

Steve sighed. "Okay."

Bucky put on his suit from when he was under Hydras control and tied his hair in a ponytail. He was getting angrier by the second, but he had to stay calm. He had to save Gail.

He hated his suit, but it was all he had. He would have to ask Steve about getting a new one.

Bucky and Steve quickly left the building and drove to Avengers Tower.

Iron Man came out and climbed into the car.

"I thought you preferred flying." Steve said.

"I do, but I want to get there at the same time as you two. And I have to give directions."

"You found her?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah. I took the liberty of planting a tracker on Gail when she first came to the tower."

"You knew this would happen?" Bucky was getting mad.

"She's been seen in the company of three Avengers, and Pepper. She's a target."

"You could've stepped up your security."

"Avengers Tower isn't a security base, it's a home. If I had guards all over the place it wouldn't be very relaxing, would it?"

"Come on guys. We won't get anything accomplished if we argue." Steve said.

"Sorry." Bucky muttered.

The three drove far out of town and into the "country".

"Where are we going?" Bucky asked.

"We're almost there." Tony answered.

Soon came the order to turn. They drove up a dirt road, taking about five minutes.

"Stop." Tony said. "This is a good place to park, they can't see us."

The three climbed out and walked through the bushes to get a good look at the building.

It was an old, run down barn. If you saw it from the outside, you wouldn't think anything of it.

The trio crept to the door. Iron Man gently pushed at it. It moved.

"These idiots left the door unlocked." He whispered.

They carefully moved in. They hid behind a stack of boxes, and Bucky peeked over.

"They're there. Gail is sitting in a chair, not tied. Five men that I can see, well armed."

"It's probably not a good thing that we don't have guns." Steve said.

"These boxes look like weapon carriers." Bucky pointed out.

"Open one up." Tony said.

Bucky quietly ripped the top off of a box, revealing rows of guns.

"That's what I'm talking about." He said, pulling one out. "It's loaded too. I wonder what these are for."

"You can count its something bad." Tony said. "I'm going to try to talk them into giving us Gail before we go shooting. But if things aren't working, Bucky will sneak behind them and grab Gail while Steve and I take them out. Got it?"

Bucky and Steve nodded.

"Sorry, Cap. I know you're usually the one giving the calls, but I feel responsible for Gail."

"It's fine." Steve answered.

Iron Man stood up and the kidnappers raised their guns at him.

"Don't come any closer or we'll kill you."

"Oh come on. I don't want empty threats."

Steve winced. Tony's attitude was not going to help their situation.

"Give me the girl, and I might let you go alive." Tony continued.

The head man smiled. "That's not much of a deal for us."

"Well you get to live. That's a bonus."

"How about this deal. You give me a large amount of money, and I give you this worthless child."

Gail glowered at her captor.

"Um, that deal sucks." Tony said.

"I think it's fair."

"I think you're crazy."

"I know you have much money, Mr. Stark. My cost for her won't make much of a dent in your riches."

"I'd rather not have to give you money at all."

Bucky snuck around to the back of the gang and waited for what he expected to come.

"Do you want to live?"

"I want money." The captor growled.

"Your two options are; you live, or you die."

The man punched Gail across the face. "Every time you make a smart comment, she pays."

"Well, that's mature."

The man slapped Gail, earning a grunt of pain.

"Stark." Steve hissed.

"I won't give her up until you send me the money."

"Alright. I'm done."

Steve popped up and started shooting, the two guys ducking for cover. Bucky ran in and grabbed Gail's hand, dragging her behind some boxes. He ripped open another box and handed a gun to Gail.

"Do you know how to use this?" He asked.

"Yeah."

The two of them returned fire. The original five men turned out to be thirteen.

Everyone once in awhile Bucky would have to go hand to hand with someone. So far he had won. The entire time, Bucky was always aware of where Gail was and if she was safe. She was never out of his sight for more than a second. He knew she could take care of herself, but he was protective of her. So he didn't hover, but he kept an eye out.

"There's someone firing from over there." Gail said, pointing to the right of her. "I'm going to move so I can get a clear shot."

"Okay. Be careful."

Gail nodded, then stood up. Hunched over, she started to run.

At first she didn't know what happened. She somehow heard the shot out of all the others, then she felt a stinging pain at her ribs below her armpit. Involuntarily she fell to the ground, gasping as pain shot through her.

That's when she heard Bucky scream her name. She tried to sit up but only managed to lift her head. She saw the spreading blood. There was a large pool of it underneath her. Then Bucky was beside her, carefully lifting her off the ground but still jarring her. Gail gave a small cry of pain.

Bucky watched Gail run. He had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen but he shook it off, and looked away. It was only a moment, a small glance at a gunman. It was just a second. But it was enough. When he looked back Gail was on the ground, blood pooling beneath her. She lifted her head and stared at the blood on her hands.

"Gail!" Bucky yelled, leaving his spot.

He got down on one knee beside Gail and lifted her easily into his arms. A bullet glanced off his arm and he ran for cover.

Bucky carefully laid Gail on the ground. He ripped the bullet hole in the shirt wider and examined the wound. For now all he could do was apply pressure. He put his hands over the wound and pressed down. Gail cried in pain.

"Sorry." Bucky apologized.

Gail tried to move in pain and Bucky held her down.

"Arg, it hurts." She growled.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Soon the fight ended. Steve ran over and a few minutes later Tony did too.

"One got away and trashed the car. Sorry, Cap."

"We have to get Gail to a hospital."

"I'll call Pepper for a ride."

"Couldn't you fly Gail there?"

"It'd be too rough of a ride and I need my stabilizers."

Tony called Pepper but there was no answer. He knelt beside Gail as well and remotely removed the armer over his hands.

"Let me see the wound." He ordered.

Bucky removed his hands and Tony rolled Gail onto her uninjured side. He looked at the wound for awhile, gently prodding.

"The bullet is lodged between her ribs." He said softly. "We have to get it out, it shouldn't wait any longer. I'll call Pepper again before we start."

Tony called again and finally Pepper answered. She was going to drive there herself.

Tony grabbed a gun and took it apart. Being Tony, he was able to quickly create something to remove the bullet.

"You'll want to hold her down."

Bucky cradled Gails head and shoulders in his lap while Steve grabbed her legs.

Tony put the "pliers" into the wound and found the bullet, Gail grunting every once in awhile.

"I'm going to remove it now."

Tony pulled, and Gail screamed. Her side felt like it was on fire, and being immobilized made it even worse. She could feel Bucky rubbing his thumbs in a circular motion on her arms, but it gave no comfort.

"Please tell me you got it." Steve said.

Gail waited in suspense. Though the time was short, it felt like forever.

"Almost."

Gail groaned, and gave a half hearted attempt to move. It was useless, seeing as how two super soldiers were holding her down.

Tony grabbed the bullet again, and pulled it out. Gail yelled in pain as the bullet was removed and Bucky quickly pulled her higher into his lap, rocking her back and forth. Tony kept pressure on the wound, and a few minutes later, Pepper arrived.

"Pepper, please tell me you brought the first aid kit."

"I did." Pepper said, handing the box to Tony and sitting beside Gail. "You poor girl. What have we gotten you in to? Maybe you shouldn't stay with us after all."

"No!" Gail said in a panick.

"Shhh. I was just kidding." Pepper soothed.

"How did you find me?"

"Tony had a tracking device on you." Steve answered.

"What? A tracking device? It's coming off as soon as we get back."

"Hey, it saved your life." Tony said.

"I was fine until you mouthed off. Which was actually quite funny. But I don't want a tracking device on me. Please take it off."

"Come on..."

"No, Stark."

"Okay okay. Lets get you home. Bucky?" Tony asked, figuring the man would want to carry her.

Bucky nodded and carefully scooped Gail up. He winced as she clenched her jaw against the pain.

They went to the car. Bucky and Steve sat in the backseat with Gail across their legs.

"What's the fastest way to the hospital?" Pepper asked.

"We're not going back to the hospital."

"What?" Steve asked.

"Listen, ever since the whole HYDRA thing, people haven't been too keen on us heroes. If we go to the hospital -"

"There will be a ton of paparazzi, and it'll be blown out of proportion. Captain America and Iron Man doing mysterious fighting behind our backs. And who's this girl that got shot because of them?" Pepper finished for Tony. "I understand."

"I don't." Steve said. "Since when was our reputation more important than people's lives?"

"Cap, I can take care of Gail myself at Avengers Tower."

"Stark, you can't do that-"

"Steve, it's okay." Gail said gently. "I'd rather stay at the tower than the hospital anyway."

"I'll stay at Avengers Tower till you're better." Bucky said.

"Oh you will, will you?" Tony said from the front seat.

"Yeah. I want to be close by."

"Buck, my apartment is like, ten minutes away."

"Ten minutes is a long time, Steve. Is it okay with you, Stark?"

"Yeah, sure. I have lots of room."

"You don't need to stay with me." Gail said.

"I know. But I want to."

**So how was that? I hope you all liked it! Please review! Ask me questions, give me ideas... Just tell me if you love it or hate it! :) I love all reviews. So please give one! :) Have a great day. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everybody! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I haven't had much motivation to write, especially since the last chapter didn't get any reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, even though it might be shorter than it normally is. :)**

The five people finally made it back to Avengers Tower, and once again, Bucky carried Gail.

"You know, Bucky, I can walk."

Bucky didn't answer, and kept his gaze straight ahead.

"Hello? Buucckkyy. Dude. Are you listening? This is rude."

Bucky looked down at her and smiled.

"You're really okay, aren't you?" He said quietly, almost to himself.

"Yes, I am."

"I'm still not putting you down."

"Oh come on!"

Bucky laughed, causing Steve to jerk his head around. He hadn't heard Bucky laugh in a very long time, even back in the war. Whatever Gail was doing, she needed to keep doing it.

Ooooooooooooo

Bucky gently sat Gail on her bed.

She sighed. "Guess I should change."

"Are you okay?"

"I think so."

With that Bucky left. Gail struggled to take the shirt off. Doing it one handed was no easy task. Finally she did it and slipped on a tube top, figuring it would be easier to change out of.

She left the room and went to the lounge where Bucky, Steve , Tony, and Pepper stood and sat around the bar. Bucky jumped up when she came in.

"What are you doing?" He asked. "Why are you walking?"

"Well, I had to get up here didn't I?"

"Yes, but you should've called."

"Bucky. I'm fine. My legs didn't get shot."

Bucky glared at her but waited for her to come to him. He put his arm around her back as Gail eased onto a stool.

"So I made you clear your schedule again, huh?" Gail asked Tony.

"Yep. I have a feeling I'll have to do that a lot with you living here. You're trouble." He answered with a wink.

"Hey, you're the one that wanted me here."

"So we haven't scared you away yet?" Pepper asked.

"I've been here for a little over a half a day and I've already been shot. But I love it here."

"So Gail, now that you're going to be living here at Avengers Tower, we'll have to introduce you to the other Avengers." Steve said. "You know, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Thor. Although Thor doesn't come around much."

"That would be great!"

"Steve, I've been thinking about something. I might be remembering it... But I'm not sure. Did I used to have a girlfriend before the war?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah!" Steve replied. He was happy with any small thing Bucky remembered.

"Her name started with an M didn't it? Margaret... Or Martha..."

"Mary."

"Mary! Yes! I remember. Mary Collins?"

"Yep. You tried to get me to have a double date with you two and Mary's friend Celeste. It didn't go so well."

Bucky and Steve shared a laugh.

"Mary Collins?" Gail asked, her face serious.

"Yeah... What's wrong?" Bucky asked.

"That's my grandmothers name."

Bucky stilled. "It couldn't be... She wouldn't be the same... Would she?"

"She lived in Brooklyn during your time. She was about 23."

"Mary was 23." Steve said quietly.

Tony laughed. "That means you two are practically family. Bucky could be your grandfather, Gail."

"We don't know for sure that its the same person..." Gail said.

"But it certainly seems like it. It couldn't be a coincidence." Pepper pointed out.

"But why would she have never mentioned me?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, you two were pretty serious." Steve said.

"The last time I saw her was when I was six."

"You wouldn't remember."

"No."

"Is she still alive?" Bucky asked. "Could we visit her?"

"Yeah, sure. I'd love to see her again. Maybe we can wait until after I heal a bit?"

"Oh I'm not letting you go anywhere for a few days."

Gail rolled her eyes. "Oh joy."

"Don't worry, Gail. We'll have more time to work on your glider." Tony winked.

"When do you have days off?"

"The weekends and Wednesdays."

"So I'll have four days alone with the warden?" Gail asked, shoving a thumb in Bucky's direction.

"I'll be here sometimes." Pepper said.

"I'm not so bad to hang out with. Just ask Steve. I was great on sick days, wasn't I?"

"Yeah, buddy." Steve laughed. "He'll take good care of you and make sure you have fun at the same time."

"Well, I hope your version of fun doesn't involve lying in bed the whole day."

Bucky put his arm around her. "For you, it just might."

"You're such a jerk."

"I've been told that."

"I'm going to be a difficult patient if I can't move."

"And I'll be a tough nurse."

Gail dropped her head on the table with a groan. Bucky ruffled her hair and went to get another drink.

**Again, sorry that was so short! So I forgot to say it last chapter, and maybe that's why I didn't get a review. ;) The next chapter will be written when I get a review! So please review. Tell me what you think! Do you like it or not? And how would Bucky take care of Gail while she's recovering?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. Thank you for the reviews! I added some Bucky and Gail arguing for one of my reviewers (I'm sorry, I forgot your name!) :)**

Gail laughed uncontrollably as Bucky tripped over her coffee table and landed flat on his back with his feet on top.

"So graceful." She teased.

It was Tuesday - two days after getting shot - and she was having a lot of fun with Bucky, despite being confined to her bed.

"I'm a mass murderer, not a ballerina."

"I don't know, my friend, I think you did a beautiful twirl before you fell. With a little more practice, you could be quite the dancer."

Bucky wondered at the girls ability to see past his mentioning of his assassin days. In fact, everyone did. And everyone he had met seemed to like him. It freaked him out.

"You know, I killed children in front of parents, and parents in front of children."

Gail paused, starting to put her blonde hair into a French braid to keep it out of the way. "I know. I still like you. Now, go get the movie from my closet."

Bucky shook his head, but went to the closet anyway. He reached for the handle and pulled. There was a rough sound, and the hinges ripped out of the wall.

"Oh my gosh." Gail gasped, then started giggling.

Bucky stared at the door in his metal hand.

"Uh... That was an accident."

"For a hyped up super soldier, you sure are clumsy." Gail laughed.

"What do I do?"

"Just put it on the floor I guess."

"Would you stop laughing?"

"You just ripped a door out of the wall. It's funny! I have to laugh."

"I shouldn't have given you so much sugar. What's the movie called again?"

"The Lord of the Rings. It's a big box set."

"Got it."

"Can we relocate to the theatre? I know I have a TV in here but it will be better on the big screen. We need to go big for your first time seeing LOTR."

"LOTR?"

"It's an acronym for Lord of the Rings."

Bucky scratched his head. "Is that important for me to know?"

"Not really. It could come in handy I suppose."

"This world is so confusing. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it."

"Stop being so dramatic."

Bucky tossed a pillow at her. "I don't know about the theatre. Don't you remember the rule?"

**"**I stay in bed24/7, I know, but I'd still be sitting down in the theatre."

"Fine."

"But I'm walking there on my own two feet."

"Gail..."

"It's happening, Buck. My legs are going to turn to Jell-o if I don't use them."

"Fine."

Gail triumphantly stood up, a happy grin lighting up her face. Bucky grabbed their snacks and followed her out the door to the elevator.

"How did you see movies while you were at your old home?" Bucky asked, pushing the button and stepping into the glass elevator.

"I lived in the ghetto not under a rock. We had a TV and DVD player. I've seen a good amount of movies. This is definitely one you need to watch. I have a list for you."

"Oh really?"

"Yep. This one is kinda long all together, so we'll just watch Fellowship of the Ring."

Bucky decided to just go along with whatever Gail said. He didn't really understand everything.

They went to theatre and set it up.

Gail's absolute favourite thing about watching the movie with Bucky was his remarks and comments, and his confusion. Special effects, the makeup, and all the other new technology in movie making had him baffled.

Gail paused frequently to explain things to him.

"I'm sorry I keep making you pause."

"No, this is a learning experience for you! I've already seen it, I don't mind stopping."

"Wait, so, the big troll is created how?"

"A computer. I don't know everything about it. It's called CGI. Kinda like animation. But not."

"You're terrible at explaining."

"Well, excuse me, Mr. I've Been Absent The Past Seventy Years."

"It wasn't my choice!"

"Yeah, and it wasn't my choice to teach a 96 year old about CGI."

"Yeah... Yeah, it was."

"Okay, you know what? Shut up."

Gail pressed play and tried to hide her smile.

Oooooooooooooo

"Bucky, I am fine to lift a small flower pot. Seriously."

"You're still healing, you have to be careful."

"Bucky, it was fine at first, but you're going a bit overboard. I am fine."

"Just take it easy for awhile more, okay?"

"No! It's not okay! I'm going to get cabin fever. Listen, Tony is home today, go back to Steve's. You haven't seen him in three days, and you two have a lot of catching up to do."

Bucky scoffed. "I'm not leaving you with Stark."

"Bucky, I love you, but you're doing too much. I need to move, and breathe. Please, go. Maybe get that haircut you wanted."

"Okay, okay. I'll go."

"Come back later though, okay? We gotta watch more of Lord of the Rings."

Bucky smiled. "LOTR."

"Yeah."

Bucky turned and left. Gail hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings, but she needed some space. Bucky was hovering too much. Gail needed to get out of Avengers Tower.

She pressed the button on her headset. "Hey Tony? I'm going to go out for a bit, okay?"

"You sure you're feeling up to it?"

"Yeah, and this is the only chance I have until your next day off. I convinced Bucky to leave."

"Nice. Have fun."

Gail was glad Tony understood her wanting to go out. She really liked the genius, even if Bucky wasn't fond of him.

Oooooooooo

Bucky knocked on Gails door. It was aroundfive o'clock. He had left at eight in the morning. He figured it had been long enough.

Gail didn't answer, so he went to check in the theatre. Then he checked in the lounge. Then he checked in the lab. Worried, he finally went to see Stark.

**"**Stark, do you know where Gail is? I can't find her."

Tony looked up from his paper work.

"Yeah, she said she was going out."

"What?"

"She's out."

"You let her leave?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"She's been shot."

"Three days ago. And it wasn't even that serious."

"Are you kidding me? I knew I shouldn't have left her with you."

"Listen, Buzz Lightyear, you can't be like this to Gail. She's a fighter, she can take care of herself. It's her nature. She doesn't need you to hover."

"I'm not hovering, I'm taking care of her."

"You're definitely hovering."

"I'm not-! I'm a big brother, okay? This is what I do."

"Hover. Yeah."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. I'm going to go find her."

Bucky searched. He searched for a long time. Gail was a hard person to find.

When he did find her, she wasn't happy.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Finding you. You can't just go wandering off, Gail, you've already been attacked twice. It's dangerous."

"I'm in the middle of the city, the sun hasn't set yet, I'm surrounded by people... Honestly, Bucky, you are so overprotective."

"You were just shot, you can't go out by yourself without anyone knowing where you went. You could start bleeding again."

"I was shot three days ago, I'm not going to start bleeding. And if I did, I would go back to the tower."

"And bleed to death on the way? I don't think so!"

"Bucky, listen, I love you, I love being your friend, but it's not going to work if you are constantly making sure I'm okay. I need to be able to be by myself, and you need to realize that I can take care of myself."

"I know that, but right you are injured and hurt, and you need taking care of."

"No I don't! I'm fine! And I don't need you hovering over my shoulder every time I stub a toe, I can't live my life like that!"

Bucky, getting frustrated, starting gesturing with his hands.

"I'm not going to do that, I just want you to heal completely before you go off on your own. I know bullet wounds, Gail!"

"And I know me, I know what I can do."

"Have you ever seen a bullet wound before? Because I have. I've seen men who say they're fine and they go back in the fight, and then they start bleeding. And they die, right in front of me. I'm not letting that happen to you!" Bucky finished, shooting his hand up.

Gail flinched, her body telling her to move from years of experience of being hit.

Bucky felt himself die a bit inside. He had scared her. He had spent years scaring people, and now he was doing it again.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, it was just habit. I didn't actually think you were going to hit me." Gail answered gently.

But Bucky couldn't take it. He wrapped Gail in his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Bucky, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Gail pushed out again, not knowing what else to say.

"You're right. I shouldn't be so protective. From now on, I will keep my distance."

"Not too far."

"No, I'll just let you breathe."

Gail laughed. "Thank you. Now, lets go home."

There you have it! I hope you all enjoyed. I actually loved the beginning when they were just hanging out so the next chapter might have more of that. What do you guys think? But you guys know how it works; I need a review before I post the next chapter!


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